Help for Gay Caregivers Who Look After Elderly

When Michelle Obama pitched the president’s health care reform efforts to a room of women at the White House last week, one group of New Yorkers present clung to every word.

And when Mrs. Obama mentioned that “families come in many different configurations,” Karen Taylor, the director of advocacy and training at Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders, nodded in approval.

SAGE, a New York-based nonprofit group that supports gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender caregivers, this week is beginning a “Caring and Preparing” initiative to provide such caregivers an array of resources: assistance with insurance benefits and entitlements, counseling, legal assistance, and various outreach and support programs.

More at: NY Times Blogs!

Creep of the Week: Tony Perkins

Unicorns. Yeti. The Loch Ness Monster. Bigfoot. UFOs. What do these things have in common? They’re all shrouded in mystery and folklore. Few have seen them, many have searched. Some exist only in grainy photographs emerging from the woods or lake or sky. Well, now we can add another creature of fantasy to the list thanks to Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council: gay senior citizens.

You see, on Oct. 21, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced plans to create a resource center for GLBT seniors. According to HHS, “The GLBT Resource Center will help community-based organizations understand the unique needs and concerns of older GLBT individuals and assist them in implementing programs for local service providers, including providing help to GLBT caregivers who are providing care for an older partner with health or other challenges.”

More at: Lesbian & Gay Times!

New Guide Helps Gay and Lesbian Elders

From – Elder Law Answers:

The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) has published a manual to help lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) elders and their families and caregivers navigate legal issues.

The Center estimates that there are between 3.5 and 4 million LGBT persons age 65 and older in the U.S. Many of these individuals confront institutions and public policies that do not recognize their needs or acknowledge their families, or that discriminate against them based on their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.

Planning with Purpose: Legal Basics for LGBT Elders provides basic information about areas of the law that are important to LGBT elders, especially individuals and couples who are age 55 and over, based on NCLRs experience advocating for LGBT elders. The guide includes information on relationship recognition, finances, health care, long-term care, planning for the care of minor or disabled children, inheritance, elder abuse, and discrimination against LGBT elders. It covers many areas where rights, benefits, and protections are generally provided to heterosexual people based on spousal status, but are denied to same-sex couples, even if married or in other legal unions. It also highlights issues unique to transgender elders.

Click here to read more and the original.